BOSTON (October 19, 2016)—Survivors of childhood cancer have poor adherence to federal dietary guidelines in adulthood, a new study finds. Diets lacking essential nutrients may exacerbate the chronic disease burden in a group already at an elevated risk for developing new conditions.

The epidemiological study, performed by researchers from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, looked at how the diets of childhood cancer survivors compare with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, whether survivors’ consumption of key nutrients and food groups meet the recommended levels, and whether cancer and treatment may impact survivors’ long-term dietary intake. The results were published online in the Journal of Nutrition on Oct. 19.